Water intrusion from swing keel well (Catalina 22)?

Sep 22, 2019
118
Chrysler 26 Pymatuning Lake
Hi,
I am posting this to get advice. I have some water coming in from the swing keel well I believe on my 1974 catalina 22. The water accumulates in the storage area under the bow most dinette seat. It is not much water. I can soak it up with 5 or 6 bounty towels. It does not come in from the rain. It accumulates after a day out or when the boat sits for long periods. I took pictures and labeled the area where the water comes in. See attached pictures. I want advise on how to seal it. Can i just put water proof cauking in the intrusion area with epoxy? Or Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure? Please advise.


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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
It could be the cracks you identified but on most swing keel boats there is also a rubber washer underneath the metal washer of the swing keel bolt (a gasket). If that rubber washer is dry rotted, then you are likely getting water in through there. Even though it is above the water line, when you sail there are rather strong spurts of water that get shot up into the keel trunk and that causes a few drops of water to get around that gasket.

You can check this by tapping a piece of paper towel to the side of the trunk just under the keel pin.... then go sailing. If the towel gets soaked then it is the keel pin gasket that needs replacing. You can still buy those gaskets or you can order them from McMaster or even make one using goop and a tape damn around the metal washer.
 
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Sep 14, 2014
1,251
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
make a streak of sidewalk chalk below the keel lock pin to check if it comes in there, also along the hull side of the compartment to see if it is coming from the rub rail area. Both are the most common sources of entry. Also depending on local weather conditions and where you sail , taste it to see if it is salt or fresh. Condensation is another common thing in fiberglass boats.
 
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